Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-01-20
THAT APPROPRIATION.
Secretary Freeman Estimates the
Cost to Individuals The Need
of Such Assistance.
The Management Of the Agricul-
tural Society.


tural Society.
Editor Repu5hca~.
In last weeks Advocate appears article headed
"will the Taxpayers Approve" referring to the ap
preparation by the Board of Supervisors Of the sum Of
$500 in aid OF the Audubon County Agricultural SO.
ciety). He leaves the query unanswered and in fact
expresses himself strongly of the opinion that tho ap
preparation spoken of will not with the approval
of people who very largely Of tho agricultural
GLASS; and per conseq uence more interested In agr
cultural matters than In any other calling there
fore beg little space in your columns for the Pur-
pose Of giving reasons why we think the appro-
priaton il just and right and will meet the approval
of all good, progressive citizens.
Isl. 1t is fully warranted by law, the same any
other appropriation made by the Board for any other
purpose See Code of Iowa Sec. ILL., to the perusal
of which invite all fair minded men.
ID. 1t was properly laid before tho Board in an
upright business way in open session after having
byeu fully discussed by the board Of directors OF tbs
society at their annual meeting Jan. B. 1857, the
following clause on their recorded proceedings will
show:
ResOlrsd, That tho president of this society and
directors +. c. schwennecker and II. Y. webtssr be
appointed committee the part Of this society to
CONFER WIN poNTu OF supcINlsOls OF huuuDou
county, toss, NOV in session. and request Of then
Appropriation of $500 90 in aid Of this society in
paying for and making improvements on their
grounds near Audubon, as contemplated in Section
iii, Code of Iowa. Carried, al vJting yea.
Ia accOrt with the above resolutions the gen.
temen above named report that they did wait upon
the board Of supervisors in open session. and lard the
matter before them. and after showing up their title
IN of In nd bsin nd al
required by law and FULLY representing tho neces
stiles Of tho case, the supervisors every Of whom
representative farmsrs concluded 1t to be for the
best interests of the county to allow the petition
asked for and the appropriation was ordered. Asto
the necessity of this action officer Of the sgri
cultural society since its org ,nization may Be
able to give facts known to the general
public, among which may be named the following
The first act after Organization the incorpora
ton thereof according to law, which WAS done and
made a matter of record the records OF Audubon
county. TAe articles of incorporation call for u
board OF directors from the county at large. each ana
every township thereof sharing equally in representa-
ton thoren thus guarding the public from imposition
aud private CONTROL aud it has thus remsined to the
day, each township being fully represented during
it, years existence by beard of directors elected
publicly the fair grounds at each annual iair,
from among and by the representative farmers pres
ent, and AN proud TO reproduce herewith appended
list Of their names rs they are known and acsnowl
edged as among most energetic, honest, exemplary
citizens. We started in business without dollar
prairie SOL but interested men subscribed
literally to aid Us in what they thought a laudable
enter prise in running from o. 10 500, all vol
untary their part. With this means and backing
a society have improved two fair grounds on
the prairie the first venture being ruined and
rendered almost wholly worthless by reason Of the
{, n W. Ry. building their lines through the
grounds Thus forced to change our location, not
from choice but necessity, we realized almost nothing
from fret Investment, aud started anew paying
800 per acre for portion Of our lands The contr
buttons voluntarily given for all these purposes
amounted Ia round numbers to $500 aside from a
large amount in value contributed labor material
freight. etc. and services the part OF officers and
| members OF this society, that would amount to
mouths Of valuable time could il be ascertsined aud
computed, and oil free of charge.
Tasting into consideration all these facts and the
further that this is first outside aid Of any
moment, We believe the generous hearted public Of
Audubon county will approve the appropriation and
be pleased that it is made, and confident that the
money will be we'll applied. further that
have for my belief is the fact that the burden il
ligut," that ait will Il be an oppressive yoke" as
ascertain from tho following facts: Audubon county
has taxable property as follows
Railroad property assessed at. ."......."..s 69es7
Personal " .................... 6s2, 993
Town lots ........ ...... :. lT7,77s
Total Pl0,T5s
Let US set all this valuation aside and levy the
Of $500 upon the land alone and see how much per
ace it will be. Audubon county lands in round
numbers 95 reduced to sectous VI ~
acres each will be 4i2 sections tax Of 81 10 on each
section will produce $500; or the who own, 60
acres will pay as his portion Of the tax Sll3, the
farm OF 100 Is cents the fam Of so acres IA
cents; the farm of 40 aOres cents This is certainly
oppressive to you gentlemen f,rmers, and feel
confident you will So decide particularly If wespread
the $500 appropriation the additional valuation
OF $500, exempted the above calculation when
would hud that the levy cessary to raise this
money $500 would not exceed the sum Of c,nts to
, each TO acre tract Of nnl in the county.
As to the ability Of the society bear its bur.
, den, referred to by the Advocate, any good men
have given much valuable time aud great amount
Of money to keep 1t on its feet financially Tom
: Walker, E. G. White and Hi Webster have ruined
their health in its service, Bill Nen, b. T. Kennedy
and Gill Jones have grown poor (physicsliy) labor.
ing for it, and yet the fair Of 1885, although paying
Its way, did not reduce debt dong since con.
acted) of nearly $500 for lumber furnished by one
of the most generous Of men, in 1884, and In his
waiting and patience having ceased to be either vir
tue profitable the claims were in the hands of
| attorney for collection and foreclosure.
Which is the best, gentlemen, to ask your aid a,
men, In manner that is not offensive to any one OF
you, or to sit idly By and permit the loss TO tn,
county Of beautiful grounds that have cost
| much in both labor and cashl As for me- knowing
your temper as | think do from 8 long iesidenc,
among you do rot fear your reply. Further, As tc
the ability accumulate money by any agriculture
r society, any who has studied the matter In tn
least will at glance tn It it i, not the policy Of
aim to accumulate further than to suitably nprov
: the grounds aud make liberal appropriations TO
premiums to exhibitors preferriug to make a. goot
=, show Is possible under the circumstances. ant
repay to exhibitors all the money taken from then
at the gates 1t is not organized as money maxim,
institution, and il is an open secret among fai
managers elsewhere that the society that Is able Il
N own their grounds and pay their way unde
ordinary circumstances is doing we'll indeed. Wit
J. the past state fair of Iowa, If you please 70
. lSS6. Entered upon the season with a surplus Il
their treasury; Des Noises gave them msgnihcen
grounds and $4,000 to improve them with rain fol
on them during their fair Of 1856. Result, at tn
annual meeting few days since the board Of direct
IS o bOrroSed $50 0OU TO pay premiums aud expense
- Of lss6. Your Audu6oa county fair, gentlemen
II although twice broken up by rains paid their Ell
psnses and premiums 10 tu from the proceeds Of tn
fair Of 1856.
S And this leads to the question Of management
referred IN the article. In the light of foregoin
u facts feel that further comment explanation
a my part Is superhous but beg leave to say that
ind on my books as secretary OF the society, tn
following list Of names, all OF whom at times hav
done aud present do the active uagsmeut oil tn
~ afarrs Of the Audubon County Agricultural Socst,
lg Read them aud decide tor yourself
John Cameron Bnnwell
l. WIN Stuart Frank Gleason
ct Elias Fiscus John Dodge
w Bartlett PC Schwennecker
10 d Barlow J Stotts